The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan SlocumbMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book tries to cover a lot of ground and does some of it quite successfully. The important messages about the still-prevalent racism in classical music are sometimes spoon-fed to the reader via prose that might feel a bit obvious to a few, but is probably sorely needed by most. As a mystery/thriller it fell a little flat for me--the rhythm felt a bit too random, as if the through line of the plot was sometimes forgotten until it popped back up again. The "reveal" was a rather big disappointment as it seemed rushed and trivial by the time we get there. The musical interludes in the audiobook were a nice touch, and JD Jackson's character voices were extraordinarily compelling -- especially Grandma Nora. The basic narration, however, could have used more emotion is some places, particularly in Slocumb's more poetic descriptions of music. Classical musicians might get a bit tired of the explanations put in there for non-musicians, but this is a small issue. I think I might have enjoyed this one more in print, but it was worth the audiobook for the vivid characters that Jackson really brought to life. This isn't really a book about a stolen violin, but instead a violinist and the elitism and racism that drive much of the classical music world.
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